Late last year, Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) introduced a new blog series—essentially a “Who’s Who at SMC” —that lets you get to know the people behind the scenes who make the day-to-day interactions at the court function. Our sixth person for you to meet is Anthony Apsay, a bailiff at the court. So far, we’ve also had you meet a court cashier, jury coordinator, probation counselor, magistrate and the court’s chief clerk.
What does a bailiff at SMC do?
SMC Bailiffs play a critical role in the courtroom and act as a liaison between the judge, jurors, attorneys, outside agencies and other areas of the court. There are nine full-time bailiffs at SMC and 12 relief bailiffs. We review dispositional documents with defendants, coordinate with the marshals regarding the transport of in-custody defendants and independently prepare and process all documents required for jail commitments and releases. Contrary to what we often hear from jurors or the public, we are not Bull from the popular 1980s-90s television series “Night Court.” At SMC, bailiffs are unarmed and not in uniform. We wear business professional clothing.
What skills are needed to be a successful bailiff?
A number of both hard and soft skills are essential, such as having discretion and common sense when communicating with judges, attorneys, defendants and other court staff, paying attention to detail and being able to multitask. It also requires staying calm in an environment with frequent interruptions, being patient, flexible, well-organized and a self-starter, as well as being an active listener with good communication skills and anticipating the needs of others.
There is also administrative work to learn and handle with care, custody and jail checks, staying up to date on court and jail software and technology. Now that I have been in my role since 2016, I have trained about eight people to successfully serve as a bailiff.
Do you have a favorite part of your job?
I do, it’s interacting with people. I enjoy jury trials – especially meeting the jurors. It’s also wonderful to see every time how judges come and talk with the jurors at the end of a trial. My most memorable trial at SMC was a domestic violence trial involving underage females. Once the trial concluded, I received a personal thank you from the City’s prosecutor on that case, as well as being invited to a special breakfast at the City Attorney’s Office.
How did you become a bailiff?
I joined SMC in 2015, working in facilities. Former Judge Eisenberg approached me to apply to an open bailiff position nearly 10 years ago, and here I am. While I previously had 10 years of experiencing working for the State Attorney General’s Office, I had to learn how to be a bailiff by just diving into the role. I learned everything by sitting in the hot seat. Luckily, I had the best trainers here at the court!
What do you do in your free time?
I love my family. My wife and I have two kids, aged 3 and 5. Spending quality time with them brings me joy.